Last Day and We're Headed Home

Having some fun at the Pearl Market.

One last time in the Swan Room

Out front of the White Swan.

Please pray for safe trave as we head home.

Another Day In Guangzhou

Waiting in the lobby to go to the temple.
Looking cool in Lucy's waiting for some Western food.
Playing in the Swan Room, one of our favorite places.
Enjoying noodles, of course he enjoys everything!!!!
While we were here we missed some very important birthdays. Happy Birthday to:
Geordyn, Bekah Grace, Barbee Ruth, Abbey, Terri, and Granny and Papa Ty. We love and miss you all. We will be heading HOME TOMORROW!!! We will try to post one more time before we leave. Please begin praying for safe travel. We have our swearing in ceremony today at the consulate. Then we are all done!!

The People's Park (Nanning) and Finally Guangzhou

A quick post and lots of pictures. We visited the park in Nanning, about a five minute walk from our hotel. There were lots of fun things to do, of course Land(our hunting expert) found something to shoot.
This was one of the most unusual activities I have ever seen. People get into plastic balls and they blow them up then they float around attached to a string. No, we didn't try this, afraid the air might run out before they pulled us in!!!
This sweet family followed us around for a few minutes, disappeared and then reappeared with a model car for Feng Feng. They watched us, laughed and giggled and then this little boy came over and gave it to him. So kind.

In the People's Park. Enjoying some cookies!!!
Finally we arrived at the White Swan, it's everything we expected and so much more (Nancy, I hope you get to stay here!) This is the sweeties playing(and having so much fun) in the Swan Room. It's a great place to meet and talk with other adoptive families. Emanuiel(Feng Feng cried when we left) He's very serious about eating and playing!!!
Us in front of the famous waterfall!!!! Emanuiel wanted down to get closer to the water, imagine that!
Us in the lobby in front of the Jade Dragon Boat carving right before we headed off to a very interesting meal!!
At the restaurant, that expression on my face is because Land had just discovered that there was a cat under out table, yes you read that correctly. I jumped up and tried very hard to explain to our waitress by saying Meow, Meow that we had a cat under the table. She very calmly picked him up and took him out. Why Land even looked under there is beyond me, but I sure am glad he did. Needless to say I didn't have much of an appetite after that!! I will be checking under all tables from here on out!! Well that about wraps up our day, until tomorrow, goodnight from Guangzhou!!!!!

Life In Yi Ling Village

We rode out of Nanning City for about an hour to get to Yi Ling Village. It was as if we had traveled back in time. We turned down a dirt road that led to the village. All around us there were people walking and traveling by scooters to the fields to work. They were tending crops of pumpkins, leeks, tomatoes, and other vegetables, farther back there were rice paddies flooded with water. This man smiled and made motions to the children as he passed. His face was weathered and worn from long hours in the fields. Mary told us that even though they work very hard they are free from the stress that city life brings.
This woman was busy picking baskets full of leeks. Each section grew different things. The Chinese people keep themselves covered as much as possible because they want their skin to stay light because this is beautiful to them.
I am not sure what kind of machine this was that passed us pulling this man. He was very friendly and smiled and waved to us.
This man is in a reservoir of water. He is washing his clothes by hand. It really makes me appreciate my washer and dryer at home, no more complaining about doing laundry!!!! He sprinkled powder on his clothes and then brushed them and rinsed them. How time consuming!!
An ox driven cart. What a way to travel. She was also headed to the fields.

Hanging out with a Water Buffalo while he had lunch!! They use them for so many things. They were everywhere in the village. We walked by pigs, dogs, ducks and chickens. The roads were dusty and the air was thick with the smells of different animals. We felt like we were in a documentary from National Geographic. It was truly amazing to see that people still live like this. We are so spoiled with all that we have.
These sweet women and little girl came along and gave us a handful of peanuts still on the plant and fresh from the ground for us to snack on. We thought it was such a kind gesture for them to share what they had with us. Then they rested in the shade of the trees.
Sweet baby and more kind faces from Yi Ling Village.
While we were snacking on peanuts these three boys came up smiling and laughing. We gave them gum, I wish we had thought ahead to take candy to give away. I couldn't resist having my picture made with them.
Typical street in the village the buildings along the sides house people and animals. Such a special place. We are so grateful to have been able to visit there.

Now about our little Emanuiel, Feng Feng. There are things I must tell you about his personality. He loves music. When Clara Beth and I sing he sings right along and does the motions. He is very observant and very smart. He lets us know when he has to go to the bathroom because he immediately starts to take off his shoes, next come the pants so you better be ready to find a place to go! He is used to a squatty potty so we have to hold him over the toilet(so hard on my back, this little guy is heavy)when he's done he shakes his little feet up and down, all through!! Last night in Wal-Mart(yes, we went again) he had to go, he's in the stroller and off come the shoes, oh my, Paul hurried him to the restroom. It was a squatty,Paul tried to hold him over it, he had a fit, he had to get down and do it by himself!!! Then he was happy again. He will eat anything!! Put it in his bowl and it's gone. He loves to have his food in one bowl( I don't even want my food to touch)then he eats it. When he's ready for more he points and talks. He doesn't like a mess around his bowl, he rakes it all up and tries to clean up when we are finished. He is really getting comfortable with us now. He woke up this morning very happy. Last night he climbed in his crib by himself and went to sleep(I hope he teaches CB how to do this)and climbed out this morning and came into the bathroom where I was and smiled at me!! So sweet. If I get out of his sight I hear him yell MaMa. Then he's fine once he sees me. If we talk to other Chinese People or they get on the elevator with us he squats down and hides behind Paul. I don't know if he thinks they might take him from us or if he is hiding for some other reason. It is so different with an older child. We have learned so much during this process. We have been shown once again about God's perfect plan. I know without a doubt that this child, like my others was chosen especially for our family. We are praising God for His wonder!! Tomorrow we leave Nanning for Guangzhou. Please pray for safe travel, this will be Emanuiel's first flight. Thankfully it is a short one. Until next time..................We love and miss you all!!!

Sending Sissy and Greg Back Home

Here they are in front of the garden window at the Majestic Hotel in Nanning. AK and Greg were about to head to the airport. We miss them being here with us so much. They were a lot of help and so much fun to be with.
Kisses and hugs and saying goodbye until next week when we also head home. As you read this please pray for safe travel for them.

The way I travel now, sometimes two arms are just not enough!!!! Especially when they head in opposite directions.
Here we are in front of the zoo. Clara Beth feel asleep on the van. It was only about 350 degrees outside!!! Thankfully it was a quick zoo visit.
Land at the zoo!!! He had an ice cream while he was there, found out it was potato flavored!!! He didn't like it but Emanuiel sure did!!!
We were at the dolphin show us and about 1000 other Chinese people. We had to buy fans to try and keep cool. Didn't seem to bother Emanuiel at all, he laughed through the whole thing. He knew what they were saying and we didn't have a clue. He continues to amaze us. He named all of the animals that we saw today in Chinese!! He is doing very well. He does get sad at rest times though and it just breaks my heart. We know he loved his foster family and we know that he misses them. Please continue to pray for us during this transitional time so much has changed for our children in the last few days. Everyone is having to make adjustments. Janice continues to be a trooper through it all, this would be very hard without her help.
And TA DA! that's all from Nanning for today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Until next time........... We love and miss you all and can't wait to get home!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Guilin Visit

Let's just say that this was a very emotional visit. We saw how much Emanuiel's foster family loved him it was a very touching visit with them. I'll have to post more about that later. For now here are some more pictures of our train trip.

Sleeping travelers. We are going to miss them sooooo much when they leave. They have been such a big help to us.
View from the train.
Land in the Civil Affairs office.
Emanuiel with the much loved back pack. We bought this for CB while we were in the Chicago Airport. We will be buying another one on our trip home. He has taken this one over and puts all of his things in it. We didn't have the foresight to buy two in the beginning!!!
A tired boy after the orphanage visit. He was a little nervous while we were there.
Typical street in Guilin.
A very special spot, more on this later. Emanuiel was still sleeping.
His favorite food and a special gift he received.
Two brothers horsing around in the hotel room!

Random Pictures From Yesterday

This was a calm bath the second one, Emanuiel splashed around so much CB climbed out. He flopped around and laughed so he soaked us all.
Ready for bed!!
He LOVES watermelon. He spins the table until it gets in front of him.
Table time.
Ready for our adoption day!!!

Back to Wal-Mart, loving the stroller now.
Dinner anyone?????
Enjoying the bus ride.
Visiting a temple.
Feeding the Koi fish, CB was asleep and missed this feeding frenzy. Emanuiel LOVED this.